Material discharge projectile



Dec. 31, 1968 P. M DONALD TABOR 3,419,274

MATERIAL DISCHARGE PROJEC'I'ILE Filed May 2, 1966 United States Patent Ofifice 3,419,274 MATERIAL DISCHARGE PROJECTILE Patrick MacDonald Tabor, Sierra Madre, Calif., assignor to Mercox, Inc., Pasadena, Calif., a corporation of California Filed May 2, 1966, Ser. No. 546,874 8 Claims. (Cl. 273106.5)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A projectile which may be fired by a suitable weapon and which contains and discharges a material, such as dye or tear gas. The projectile includes a body member containing the material, a tail fin, and a nose member. The body member and nose member both have apertures therein which become aligned upon predetermined relative movement of these two members to allow the discharge of material.

This invention relates to a projectile, and more particularly to a dart type projectile which contains and discharges a material, such as, dye or tear gas.

Dart type projectiles according to the present invention may be fired by a suitable weapon as an aid in law enforcement activities and for humane animal control. The dart may carry a load of dye which is discharged on an 1ndividual or animal at substantial distances, such as 50 yards or more, from the point where the dart is fired for marking or identification purposes. There is essentially no physical harm from contact by the propelled dart making it particularly suitable in law enforcement activities, and the like. For example, an individual agitator or agitators in a crowd can be readily marked for subsequent identification. Various types of dyes may be used, such as bright colored dyes for maximum visibility, as well as materials or dyes including fluorescent compounds which emit radiation or glow as a result of absorption of radiation from a suitable source.

A dart according to the present invention also may carry a load of a chemical, such as tear gas. This is particularly effective for use in crowds where tear gas is relatively ineffective. A dart of this nature discharges or sprays an amount of tear gas essentially in a small circle, and if it strikes an individual it is not harmful to him other than providing a burning sensation of the eyes resulting from the tear gas. The dart likewise can be effective upon striking the ground near an individual or a group of individuals.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved dart type projectile for discharging a material carried therein.

Another object of this invention is to provide a relatively simple and inexpensive dart for carrying and discharging a liquid.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a marking dart of relatively simple and inexpensive construction.

It is an additional object of this invention to provide a tear gas dart of relatively simple and inexpensive construction.

These and other objects of this invention will become more apparent upon a consideration of the following description taken in conjunction with the drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a dart constructed according to the teachings of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view of the dart of FIGURE 1 prior to being loaded into a weapon and propelled;

FIGURE 3 is a partial sectional view of the dart of FIGURE 1 upon contact with an object or individual; and

FIGURE 4 shows an alternative embodiment of a dart.

Referring now to the drawing, a dart according to this 3,419,274 Patented Dec. 31, 1968 invention essentially includes a cylindrical body member 10 for carrying a load of material, such as dye or tear gas, a tail fin member 11 for guiding the dart, and a cylindrical nose member 12 mounted coaxially over the forward end of the body member 10. The fin member 11 typically may be made of plastic and includes a cap 14 threaded onto the rear end of the member 10, and fins 15 threaded onto, or otherwise secured to, the cap 14.

The cylindrical body member 10 may be made of a suitable material, such as aluminum, and includes an internal chamber 17 into which may be loaded the material to be carried and discharged. The forward end of the body member 10 includes four radial apertures, only three apertures 18 through 20 being seen in the drawing. A pair of peripheral grooves 22 and 23 are provided forwardly and rearwardly of the radial apertures 18 through 20 for receiving respective O-rings 24 and 25.

The cylindrical nose member 12 typically may be made of aluminum and is mounted coaxially over the forward end of the body member 10. The skirt or rear portion 26 of the nose member 12 normally serves to provide a seal, along with the O-rings 24 and 25, over the radial apertures in the body member 10 thus preventing the escape of the load of material from the chamber 17. Four similar radial apertures 28 through 31 are provided through the wall of the cylindrical nose member 12 corresponding to the four holes in the member 10. The interior of the nose member 12 has a conical surface 32 which provides a stop or abutment to limit the relative longitudinal motion between the nose member and the forward end of the body member 10. This arrangement allows the apertures in the two members to properly align upon contact of the nose member with an object 33 as shown in FIGURE 3.

An air vent 34 is provided in the forward or nose end 35 of the member 12. A projection 36 extends from the forward end of the body member 10 and has a hole 37 therethrough for receiving a safety clip or pin 38. As can be seen from FIGURES 1 and 2, the safety pin extends through the hole 37 in the projection 36 and two of the holes 29 and 30 in the member 12. Thus, when the clip 38 is in place as shown, the apertures in the members 10 and 12 cannot become aligned and allow the discharge of material from the chamber 17.

A suitable dye, tear gas, or the like, may be loaded into the chamber 17 within the body member 10 by removing the cap 14. Prior to loading the dart into a weapon, the safety pin 38 is removed. The dart is propelled by the weapon generally by gas pressure, and upon contact of the nose member 12 with the object 33 as seen in FIGURE 3 the respective apertures in the cylindrical members 10 and 12 align. When these apertures align, the load in the chamber flows through the apertures and is released onto adjacent objects. It will be apparent that various types of dyes as well as various types of tear gas and other liquid or powdered substances may be used in the dart.

An alternative dart construction is illustrated in FIG- URE 4, and includes a cylindrical body 50 having a fin assembly 51 attached thereto. A forward end of the body 50 includes a cylindrical nose cap 52 having a central aperture 53 therein. An ampule 54 containing a suitable dye, tear gas, or the like, is positioned within the body 50 and is thrown forward and breaks when the nose cap 52 sharply strikes an object thereby discharging the contents of the ampule through the aperture 53. The ampule 54 may be formed of a suitable thin plastic such as a fiuorcarbon resin, or glass, and the remainder of the dart may be made of plastic or a light metal. It has been found that the set-back force, that is the relative movement of the cylinder and ampule upon firing of the dart from a weapon causing the rear of the cylinder to contact the ampule, is relatively light and does not cause rupture of the ampule.

Darts constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention may be utilized with and propelled by a weapon of the nature disclosed in copending United States Patent application Ser. No. 546,979, entitled Projectile Weapon, filed concurrently herewith by applicant.

The present embodiments of the invention are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope thereof being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing descripiton, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims therefore are intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed is:

1. A dart type projectile for carrying and discharging material comprising first means having an elongated chamber therein for containing said material, said first means having a plurality of apertures in the periphery of a first end thereof communicating with said chamber, and guiding means coupled with a second end thereof,

nose means mounted on said first end of said first means and normally covering said apertures, said nose means having a plurality of similar apertures which become aligned with said apertures in said first means upon a predetermined relative movement between said first means and said nose means to allow the discharge of said material, and

sealing means mounted between said first means and said nose means for normally providing a seal therebetween to prevent escape of material through said apertures in said first means.

2. A projectile as in claim 1 wherein said first means is cylindrical, and

said nose means is cylindrical and mounted coaxially on said first end of said first means.

3. A projectile as in claim 2 wherein said first end of said first means includes a projection extending therefrom having a hole therein adapted to receive safety means for preventing sufiicient relaitve movement between said first means and said nose means to allow the discharge of said material. 4. A projectile as in claim 2 wherein said sealing means comprises a pair of flexible sealing members mounted around the periphery of said first end of said first means and ajacent said apertures in said first means.

5. A projectile as in claim 2 wherein said nose means has an internal abutment therein for said first end of said first means includes a projection extending therefrom having a hole therein adapted to receive safety means for preventing sufficient relative movement between said first means and said nose means to allow the discharge of said material.

7. A projectile as in claim 6 wherein said nose means includes an air vent therein to facilitate relative movement between said first means and said nose means upon impact of said nose means with an object to allow the discharge of said material.

8. A dart type projectile for carrying and discharging a liquid, such as die or tear gas, comprising a cylindrical body member having an elongated chamber therein for containing said material, said body member having a plurality of radial apertures in a first end thereof communicating with said chamber, and having a plurality of peripheral grooves in said first end bounding said apertures,

guiding means coupled with a second end of said body member,

a cylindrical nose member coaxially mounted on said first end of said body member and having a skirt for normally covering said apertures, said nose member having a plurality of similar radial apertures which become aligned with said apertures in said body member upon a predetermined relative movement between said body member and said nose member to allow the discharge of said material upon impact of said nose member with an object, said nose member having an internal abutment for defining said predetermined relative movement, and

flexible sealing means mounted within said grooves in said body member for normally providing a seal between the skirt of said nose member and said body member to prevent the escape of said liquid through said apertures in said body member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 600,772 3/ 1898 Ettinger 273106.5 XR 1,815,300 7/1931 Harris. 2,617,359 11/1952 Van Horn et al. 10292 2,620,190 12/1952 Bean 273-1065 2,854,925 10/ 1958 Crockford et a1. 2,995,373 8/1961 COX 273106.5 3,150,875 9/1964 Searles 273106.5

ANTON O. OECHSLE, Primary Examiner.

P. E. SHAPIRO, Assistant Examiner.

U.S. C1. X.R. 102-92 

